Just A Cut
by HecateA
Summary: Mere hours after Dumbledore's death, it's clear to Remus that they have to talk. Oneshot.


**Author's Note: **I had the kind of day that requires fluff so guess what; you get happy things too. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **The following characters belong to J.K. Rowling, and this story derives from her original works, storylines, and world. Please do not sue me, I can barely pay tuition.

**Warnings: **NA

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**Stacked with: **MC4A; Shipping War; Ornate Oscillating Obelisks; Animal Verses; Remnants of War

**Individual Challenge(s): **Gryffindor MC; Hufflepuff MC; Seeds; Shipmas; Golden Time; Old Shoes; Themes and Things A (Love); Themes and Things B (Reunion); Old Flames; True Colours; Rian-Russo Inversion; In a Flash

**Representation(s): **Tonks/Remus reunion; Remus Lupin

**Bonus challenge(s): **Creature Feature; Second Verse (Unicorn); Chorus (Middle Name)

**Tertiary bonus challenge: **Oath

**Word Count: **806

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_**Shipping Wars**_

**Ship (Team): **Nymphadora Tonks/Remus Lupin (Technicolour Moon)

**List (Prompt): **Summer Micro 1 (Library)

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**Just A Cut **

_Do you relish being a poor man's wife? _

_Unable to provide for your life? _

_/_

_I relish being your wife._

_Look around, look around._

-That Would Be Enough, Lin-Manuel Miranda

"I have a quiet place where we can talk," Remus whispered, touching her elbow. Her stomach tied itself into knots—as if she was a schoolgirl, or as if she hadn't seen him inside and out and a simple comment could spark her up. She cast one last glance at the infirmary, at the hush that had fallen over the kids and Order members gathered around Bill, before following him out.

She'd patrolled the castle so much over the last year that she knew before she saw their destination that he was bringing them to the library.

"Madam Pinch locks up at 9:00," she whispered to him.

"I know," he said, looking to her over his shoulder. "I also know the trick to the lock, just give me one second…"

She watched him jimmy the lock, then tap his wand to it twice, pause, and then tap a third time. Satisfied, he leveled the tip of his wand with the keyhole and twisted slowly. She heard the lock unclick.

"Madam Pinch used to change the locking charms every few weeks when I was at school. Very annoying, but practise makes perfect," he explained.

"Of course," she said. He held the door for her and she turned back to look at him as he stepped into the library behind her. That's when she noticed the cut by his eye, and without thinking she reached out to touch his cheek and turn his face towards her.

"What?" Remus asked.

"You were hit, you have a cut."

"Surely that doesn't matter right now," he said.

"It came very close to your eye," she noted, though her gaze drifted from the ugly gash to the chocolate brown irises.

Remus looked at her for just one second in a kind of confusion before his expression melted, and he pulled her into a kiss. For a second she was shocked. Then it was as if she was liquefied, that's how absolutely useless and goofy she became in his arms. Then she pulled herself together, pulled him closer, and wrapped his arms around his neck. Eventually, she stumbled against a study table and he hauled her on top of him. Her legs found their way around his hips, and while there was no way to get any closer (well, not in the _library _anyway) she couldn't help but feel that he was still too far away for her taste. An energy she hadn't felt in a long time burned in her veins. She didn't know what colour exactly her hair was turning, but she knew that after months her body was finally folding to the morphing again.

Eventually they broke, and this time they didn't reconnect instantly. Dora buried her face in his chest. She tightened her grip around his neck, but the pressure seemed to leak out of her shoulders. His hand rubbed circles against her back, soothingly. She felt the months and months between them wash away.

"It was just a cut," he said.

"So?"

"I'll be fine; it doesn't matter," Remus said.

"It mattered to me. You matter to me. You should've believed me sooner on that front," she said.

"I should have," Remus admitted quietly, not moving.

"You trust me in battle, on missions, in letters—even with Harry," Dora said. "Trust me on how I feel about you too."

"Despite… everything?"

"_Because _of everything," she said. "I've said it before. I said it now in front of—gosh, _everyone. _How many more times do you have to say it?"

"I suspect that you've gathered by now that I'm rather obtuse sometimes," he said. "I doubted because I was involved. I didn't think…"

"For someone who broke into libraries for fun during his school years, you're an absolute idiot about some things."

He laughed into her hair.

"We were a good team tonight," he said.

"Just tonight?"

"I hope not," Remus said softly. He pulled back again and she chewed her lip.

"You know," she said. "It feels strange to talk in the library. I feel as if Madam Pinch is going to jump from one of the rows and chew me out for the upteenth time. But I think we should talk—really talk. Figure things out."

He held out his arm to her. "I agree. Would you care to walk in the gardens?"

"I would," she said. She offered him a smile before sliding off the study table. "But I hope you know, there won't be much discussion needed. I've made up my mind about you."

"I can tell," he smiled. "Let's call this… logistics, then. Yes?"

"Yes," she agreed. "But will you please let me tend to that cut first?"


End file.
